“How It’s Made” to Visit Korona Candles in Pulaski County

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Discovery Channel’s “How It’s Made” is heading to Dublin, VA to film an episode about candles. Where better to visit that Korona Candles? The film crew will arrive in the NRV on December 15 to showcase tea candles, jar candles, and possibly wax melts.

Korona Candles, based in Poland, is a great representation of Advanced Manufacturing in Virginia’s New River Valley. Pulaski County is home to a growing number of internationally based manufacturers that use advanced technology to more efficiently produces goods.


Read more about Discovery Channel’s visit from Brooke J. Wood at the Southwest Times.


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Governor McAuliffe Announces Forbes.com Ranks Virginia No. 5 Best State for Business

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~ Commonwealth moves up in annual survey ranking business costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects, and quality of life ~


RICHMOND, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Virginia was named No.5 in the Forbes.com 2017 Best States for Business ranking. This position represents a jump from No.6 in the 2016 survey and No.7 in 2015. Virginia has placed in the top 10 since the ranking’s inception in 2006, and ranked among the top two states every year from 2006 through 2013.


“The Commonwealth’s advancement in major national rankings like Forbes.com is strong evidence of our success in building the new Virginia economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “We are working tirelessly with our economic development partners across the Commonwealth to put Virginia on top, and today’s announcement demonstrates that our efforts are working. We are committed to building on this upward trajectory by offering the infrastructure, regulatory environment, and robust workforce to ensure Virginia is the premier business destination in the United States.”

Forbes uses six factors to determine state rankings, which include: business costs, economic climate, growth prospects, labor supply, quality of life, and regulatory environment. The Commonwealth finished in the top 10 in three of the six categories examined in the review published today, including #2 for Regulatory Environment, #3 for Labor Supply, and #8 for Quality of Life. According to Forbes.com, Virginia ranks second for its regulatory climate because of its strong incentive offerings and business-friendly government policies.


“Virginia’s improved standing in Forbes.com’s Best States for Business rankings is a testament to the commitment of Governor McAuliffe’s administration and all of our allies at the state, regional, and local levels to make the Commonwealth the premier destination for business,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “There is still work to be done to return Virginia to its top standing, and we will continue to build on this positive momentum working with members of the General Assembly and our public and private sector partners.”


For the entire Best States for Business ranking report, please visit here.


Full Release


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Montgomery County EDA Purchases 124 Acres to Expand Falling Branch Corporate Park

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA – Montgomery County’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) will close on the 124 acres of property adjacent to the County’s Falling Branch Corporate Park at a cost of $2.5 million (or roughly $20,161 per acre) today, November 21, 2017.

“This is a step forward in diversifying opportunities both for existing businesses within Montgomery County to expand as well as to attract new businesses,” said Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chair, Chris Tuck.


“This purchase allows us to increase our tax base, which will potentially lead to the creation of new jobs with the advent of current businesses having the necessary space to grow as well as new businesses entering Montgomery County,” said Tuck.


The EDA entered into a contract with Cox Family Farms, LLC on May 27, 2017. Upon entering into the contract, the EDA had 180 days to perform due diligence on the property, which included the rezoning request process as well as geotechnical and environmental studies. Rezoning applications with both Montgomery County and the Town of Christiansburg were filed for the property on May 30. Rezonings with both the County and the Town were completed and approved by September 26.


“Prior to this planned expansion of Falling Branch Corporate Park, the largest lot available was about 16 acres, making it a challenge for Montgomery County to attract businesses that need larger lot sizes, said Tommy Loflin, Chair, EDA. “I’m happy we have addressed this issue and are making great strides in expanding the corporate park.”


Currently, Falling Branch Corporate Park is comprised of a total of 175 acres, with 146 acres occupied by businesses including Aeroprobe Corporation, Backcountry.com, DISH Network, Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., Inorganic Ventures, Polymer Solutions Inc., and Prestar Packaging, The recent purchase will add 124 acres to the existing available 29 acres.


“I’d like to congratulate Montgomery County on acquiring this land,” said Charlie Jewell, Executive Director, Onward New River Valley. “The property is highly attractive for larger projects and will aid our efforts to attract new businesses to the area. We look forward to working closely with the County to begin marketing this asset to prospective businesses.”


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Area Development: British-Based D3O Opens North American Hub in Blacksburg, Virginia

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D3O, a British-based impact protection company and market leader in protective wear and shock absorbing materials, opened a operating base in Blacksburg, Virginia. Located within the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, a research park for high-technology companies, the new D3O office, part of the company’s expansion in North America, will serve as the regional hub for sales, marketing and development functions.


Bill VanMullekom, SVP D3O LLC, said: “This move firmly marks our commitment to delivering the best in impact protection technologies to our customer base across North America.


Read the full article on Area Development.


Pulaski County Unveils New Video for #PulaskiCountyIs… Campaign

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PULASKI COUNTY, VA- Pulaski County, in collaboration with the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, unveiled a new video to help launch the “Pulaski County Is…” campaign last night at the Chamber’s 65th Annual Dinner. The dinner was hosted at the Volvo Trucks Customer Experience Center in Dublin, VA and drew a audience of about 240 people.


The goal of the campaign is to help communicate the assets in Pulaski County and encourage people to share what #PulaskiCountyIs… to them. Check out the video below.


Pulaski County is… from Nightfire Productions on Vimeo.


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Business Advantages Networking

NRV Among Top Affordable Metros Attracting YPs

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA- Virginia’s New River Valley (The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA) ranks among the top metros that are attracting young professionals while maintaining an affordable cost of living. According to PEW, the NRV is among 10 metros that are growing almost as quickly as other well-known, attractive cities for young people like Silicon Valley or Austin, TX, but have more affordable costs of living.  

Still Affordable, But Attracting Young Professionals

These metro areas ranked high for affordability, education, and growth in young professionals.
Columbus, INBismarck, ND
Midland, MIMorgantown, WV
Bloomington, ILCedar Rapids, IA
Idaho Falls, IDNew River Valley, VA
Sioux Falls, NDRochester, MN
The data comes from the American Community Survey and was analyzed by Stateline.
Virginia’s New River Valley, has a unique opportunity for young professionals. Our region enjoys the upscale amenities residents might find in larger urban areas (like public transit and fine dining), while maintaining the perks of low-cost living and small-town charm (like low traffic, and access to outdoor recreation).   The presence of Virginia Tech, Radford University, and New River Community College elevate the importance of education in the region and provide excellent amenities in arts and culture and opportunities for young people and businesses alike to interact with the universities and benefit from their services.  
The NRV was also ranked a top destination for college graduates based on eight economic and quality-of-life factors that AIER found to influence migration patterns of college grads ages 22-35 among 260 metro areas, large and small. A few of the factors contributing to the New River Valley’s high ranking included its favorable labor market conditions, affordable housing rents, ability to get around without a car, and density of people with a college degree.
YPs can find plenty of support in the NRV with clubs and networking opportunities such as Up on the Roof, Blacksburg YPs, The Newcomers Club, and more.   Plus, the NRV is home to a myriad of festivals and burgeoning local music scenes that keep up with the times while remembering the roots of SWVA throughout history. For more activities and insight on what it’s like to live in the NRV, check out the Live Here tab!  
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  Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.   Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Onward NRV Works to Reach Radford Alumni

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Onward NRV Executive Director Charlie Jewell, joined by Award-Winning IT Professor Jeff Pittges, took a 2-day trip to Northern Virginia last week to help Radford University alumni reconnect to Virginia’s New River Valley.

By partnering with the RU Alumni Association, Jewell was able to deliver a 2-minute pitch in front of guests at the RU alumni networking event held at The Goal in Reston, VA. This event was an excellent opportunity to launch and give away some of the NRV branded boxes, which were handcrafted by St. Pierre Woodworking in Floyd, VA and contained goodies representing the NRV. Jewell also scheduled meetings with alumni business leaders to educate them on Onward’s work to attract and grow the four targeted industries for the region.

The goal was to help communicate the business advantages, job opportunities, and lifestyle amenities in the region to RU alumni. The outbound marketing was also meant to increase awareness of the advantages specifically in Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Food & Beverage Processing, and Unmanned Systems.

The idea to reach out to alumni was born of the research on the four targeted industries. Many business leaders noted that they are satisfied with their current employees, but harbor some concerns about finding enough employees when it comes time to expand their businesses. Therefore, Onward wants to reconnect with alumni living outside the area that may want to move back in the future in order to communicate what the region has to offer them.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for a beautiful place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Hokie Bird Virginia Tech Football Lane Stadium

Visit the NRV Tailgate at VT Homecoming!

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Virginia’s New River Valley will have an interactive tailgate this Saturday, October 21 preceding the Virginia Tech Homecoming football game. Join the NRV to cheer on the Hokies and win some prizes for you and your family!

The Tailgate will be located on Cassell Drive off Beamer Way — the perfect spot to stop by on your way to Lane Stadium.

Sign up for the New River Raffle to win a bursting basket of your favorite local goods. Signing up also gets you a spin at the NRV prize wheel and an extra chance to win tons of great game day prizes like t-shirts, pom-poms, and candy. Visitors can also battle friends and family at the NRV corn hole boards.

Plus, don’t forget your free stickers on the way out! The display will also feature plenty of information about why the NRV is a great place to live, work, and do business.

The tailgate will be run by Onward NRV staff and local volunteers. For more information about the event, contact Abigail Hammack: abigail@OnwardNRV.org

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for a beautiful place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

NRV #10 in High-Tech Employment Concentration

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New River Valley, VA – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA (commonly known as Virginia’s New River Valley) is the 10th most concentrated metro for number of jobs in high-tech industry, according to an analysis by Select USA. Of jobs in the NRV, 24.5% are in the high-tech industry. According to the analysis, high tech jobs are those that, “rely heavily on a skilled and educated workforce, act as innovative producers in our economy, and create and utilize advanced technologies.”


Because of the current base of technologically advanced jobs in the NRV and the region’s suitability for hosting this job market, Information Technology is one of the target industries of focus for the NRV. Our focus on Information Technology can be broken down into 4 sub-categories: Software Development, IT Support Services, Cybersecurity, and Digital Creatives. High-tech jobs also fall under other targeted industries in the NRV like Unmanned Systems and Advanced Manufacturing.


Virginia’s New River Valley has some of the best access to talent in tech industries. Considering it is a great place to live with a more affordable, down-to-earth culture, and exceptional access to research and innovation, the NRV is a natural fit for growing high-tech companies.


For more information about the Select USA high-tech industry study, click here.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for a beautiful place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

COO of Qualtrax, and IT Company in Blacksburg, VA, in Virginia's New River Valley.

NRV 3rd Among Metros with High Ratio of IT Graduates to Jobs

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA- The Blacksburg metro, known locally as the New River Valley, recently ranked 3rd out of 25 among metros with high ratio of IT graduates to IT jobs. This ranking was published in the July/August edition of Expansion Solutions Magazine based on information in 2015 when the New River Valley had 1,000 IT graduates, putting the ratio of graduates to jobs at 1:1.


The New River Valley is home to three higher education institutions that offer a range of degrees in IT, including:

  • Virginia Tech: Department of Computer Science, Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Business Information Technology Department
  • Radford University Artis Information Technology Department
  • New River Community College Information Technology Department

The New RIver Valley has a growing IT industry. According to data from The Bureau of Labor and Statistics, from 2011-2016 the New River Valley as a whole has nearly 2,000 IT employees, marking a significant increase of 35% since 2011, which is well above both the state (3%) and national (12%) averages.


Bike with Rackspace logo for employees to ride around the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center

This puts IT companies in a place to thrive in Virginia’s New River Valley. Currently with 154 IT establishments, the NRV is becoming an IT hub that benefits from a lower cost of living and better quality of life for employees. Onward NRV, the region’s economic development organization has identified IT as a target industry for the New River Valley and is collaborating with leaders from business, government, and higher education to support and grow the sector in the region.


Overall, the IT industry offers a range of occupations and high average earnings. The presence of multiple higher education institutions, which offer programs and graduates in various technology related subjects provides a regional advantage. Based on recent job growth, industry presence, and related criteria, the IT sectors of focus for the region are Software Development, Cyber Security, IT Support Services, and Digital Creative Firms.


Female 1901 Group employee at computer with a mountainous backdrop.

Some current IT companies and major employers in the New River Valley include Qualtrax, Rackspace, FoxGuard Solutions, Citizens Cooperative, and Modea.


For more information about IT in the NRV visit the Targeted Industry Page on our website. For any additional questions, feel free to contact Onward NRV.


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.